If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

QB Wars - Reilly vs. Nichols

One of the biggest question marks going into camp is at the position of Quarterback. It is somewhat similar to last year where fans of the Edmonton Eskimos weren't sure who would be the starter, but whereas last year there was a lot of negativity surrounding the position, this year it is the exact opposite. Most fans are rather optimistic about the two young guys vying for the coveted role and the excitement is building. Let's take a closer look.

Vitals

Reilly is 28 years old while Nichols is 26. Both are about the same size as Reilly is an inch taller and a few pounds lighter.

Statistics

Unfortunately the sample size on these two guys is rather small. But it's all we have so let's dig into the numbers. Note that I am going to ignore everything prior to the CFL because Matt played at Eastern Washington (Div I) while Mike played at Central Washington (Div II) and I just don't see it as being applicable to this discussion.

So let's look at the limited stats we have in their CFL Careers:

Interestingly enough, they are very similar. Both have about the same amount of attempts, completions and the rating difference is marginal. Nichols appears to be able to throw further downfield compiling almost 200 more yards with fewer completions. Reilly has better accuracy with a completion percentage of almost 69% (Nichols 58%).

Reilly has 122 career rushing yards while Nichols has 76. It is difficult to guage this stat as Reilly has a significant number of rushing attempts on 3rd and short.

Intangibles

Unfortunately for Matt Nichols, this is where he is at a distinct disadvantage. For one, he is coming off a severe ankle injury and while he should be fully healthy for camp, you just don't know how this will affect his performance. The second and more important factor, is that Ed Hervey went out and got "his guy". He gave up assets to bring in Reilly and signed him to a contract that will pay Mike what amounts to legitimate starting Quarterback money in this league. I don't think anyone can argue that they do not expect Reilly to become the starting QB for this team in 2013 and he will be given every opportunity to do so.

Prediction

I realize I am not going out a limb here, but Mike Reilly will be your starting QB in week 1. While I fully expect a great battle at this position during training camp, I just don't see how Reilly cannot be the starter based on the intangibles discussed above. Provided he is healthy, Mike Reilly is Ed Hervey's solution to the problem created by Eric Tillman when he traded Ricky Ray.

Think how exciting this is compared to last year we have two young guns ready to duel it out and see who can lead an offence consisting of arguably the best receiver in the league Fred Stamps as well as talented guys like Koch, Bowman, Cohorn and others wondering why one of these two promising stars will shine the brightest last year we were dreading watching the combo of Jyles and Joseph one hop balls to received and lay in the fetal position wondering what would happen first Jyles throwing the ball in the wrong direction or Joseph needing a time out to change his depends.

Reilly will get the starts coming out of camp, but if he struggles Nichols will get put in there. I think it's a good situation, two young guys will good skill sets pushing each other for the starting gig.

Can't say anything about Reilly, never met him - but Matt always seemed level headed and driven the few times we've run into each other. I'm hoping he can get the job out of the gate and keep it - and knowing that there's someone exactly like him chomping at the bit to come in is only going to make both of them better.

I don't care who starts at this point. All I know is we have immediately upgraded from last year. I hope they both do well, and we have a QB controversy in a good way (meaning either one SHOULD start) as opposed to the bad way we had last year (meaning neither of our top two should have still been playing in the CFL).

I still don't like that Joseph is wasting a roster spot that could be used to develop a #3 (and possibly become our #2 after the Ottawa expansion draft), and I hope that Kavis doesn't turn to him as his security blanket.

I don't care who starts at this point. All I know is we have immediately upgraded from last year. I hope they both do well, and we have a QB controversy in a good way (meaning either one SHOULD start) as opposed to the bad way we had last year (meaning neither of our top two should have still been playing in the CFL).

I still don't like that Joseph is wasting a roster spot that could be used to develop a #3 (and possibly become our #2 after the Ottawa expansion draft), and I hope that Kavis doesn't turn to him as his security blanket.

I just had a horrible premonition of Kavis standing behind the podium at his season-opening presser and saying, "After a long period of reflection, we decided that Kerry Joseph brings a tremendous amount of passionate leadership and unique athleticism to our team, so he will be our starting quarterback against Saskatchewan."

I agree that it is a small sample size to draw conclusions on, but I think you hit on a few strengths that were brought out in these guys last year. Whether it was their preference/ability or the situation/system remains somewhat unclear.

Nichols definitely showed aggression in throwing downfield when he came off the bench, and his invigorating effect on his offensive teammates was very palpable. To a degree though, his job in those situations was less system based and when playing from behind, the greater aggression was called for. He proved intriguing in that role, but many will want to see how he does running a balanced offence game in and game out.

I agree that the mental recovery from the injury will be just as important as the physical recovery and there have to be some questions about that until he demonstrates himself to pick up where he left off. Losing his OC/QB coach will strip him of some advantages in knowing the system fully, but with the relative continuity projected wrt his offensive weapons, he should have the chemistry advantage over Reilly in terms of the likes of Stamps, Charles, Koch, Coehoorn and Chambers. He has not yet really had any time to "be the man" and hold the reigns for this organization, and I will be curious to see how he carries himself in training camp in that regard.

Reilly's reps last year came mostly under different circumstances, where he was thrust into a starting role rather than coming off the bench. He had also had the benefit of getting a lot of second-string practice reps for a few years to learn the system and personnel around him. I love the composure that he demonstrated in bouncing back from mistakes and not letting them get in his head, and I believe having watched Lulay's rise up close will have benefited him from a confidence perspective. The higher accuracy and the lesser reliance on the deep ball may have been influenced by the talent around him, the team's position in the standings and what the role called for. He's shown accuracy and mobility, and I look forward to seeing how much aggression will be asked of him in terms of throwing downfield.

There is little doubt that Reilly has carried himself like the starter since the trade/signing, showing confidence and poise. While Hervey did go out and make the move to get him, I don't believe it necessarily makes him automatically his guy. There was a very good football business case to be made for getting a QB at a low cost to A) compete with Nichols to be the guy for the future, and B) to expose in the expansion draft and gain that much more protection of your NI talent base. Whether the price paid for Reilly leaves curtain B as the main plan is open for debate, but it is realistic to think that one of these two will be the starter here next yr and the other will be calling Ottawa their summer home. That will allow us to protect two more NI players and will allow us to not have to protect a K as one of those, essentially making it 3 extra protections, as Shaw would have been one. That's a difference of losing an NI starter/high draft pick prospect or losing a solid backup.

I don't believe that the advantages that Nichols has in terms of familiarity (teammates, Kavis, Kelly, community, organization, etc) will be enough to overcome what he faces with the mental side of the injury and the confidence/ability that Reilly will likely bring. That said, as last year showed, the guy that breaks camp as the starter isn't necessarily the guy that's going to be there all year. We need to see the offensive philosophy that Sams brings and whether it is more suited to one or the other. We need to see who teammates embrace. We need to see who lives up to the expectations based on their young careers and limited pro experience.

We also need to keep an eye on, not only who is best suited to lead the team this season, but also for seasons to come.

Apparently the problem with Reilly is his funky throwing motion which turned off a bunch of NFL teams, but he definitely has an arm, as evidenced by a velocity only 1mph less than Kaepernick!

"If Benevides is pining for Lulay’s full arm strength to come back this week, he certainly doesn’t show it -- not after what Reilly did last game against the Eskimos, when that funky arm motion threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns. It may be more representative of a baseball catcher or a shot putter, the way Reilly cocks the ball near his earhole and fires. But it’s an arm that broke Jon Kitna’s records at Central Washington, got him an invite to the NFL combine and camp time with the Steelers, Packers, Rams and Seahawks.They liked his NFL size (6-foot-3, 220), and running ability, but Reilly was a curiosity when it came to throwing the football.

“It’s definitely unconventional. It’s not a wind-up by any stretch,” Reilly explained. “There’s the normal throwing motion that people deem as perfect. Then you have a wind-up like Tim Tebow or Byron Leftwich that takes too long. Mine’s on the other end of the extreme, where people think I don’t wind up enough. They think I don’t have enough strength on the ball. I got labelled, when I came out of college, as not having a strong arm. I think it was based on my throwing motion, not what was actually happening. It’s unfortunate they were going more by the ‘look factor.’”

Only one NFL team, however -- the Seahawks -- actually tried to monkey with Reilly’s mechanics."

I just had a horrible premonition of Kavis standing behind the podium at his season-opening presser and saying, "After a long period of reflection, we decided that Kerry Joseph brings a tremendous amount of passionate leadership and unique athleticism to our team, so he will be our starting quarterback against Saskatchewan."

Ugh. I felt dirty even thinking that.

i would promptly give up my season tickets right then and there if that was to happen. There is no way gramps should ever see the field unless its the pregame and or practice.

I've been stewing over the Eskimos QB situation since they traded for Reilly and here's why.

First off, getting Reilly is much like slabbering lipstick on a pig hoping it will win the state fare this year. It's still a pig but looks a little better. This is very similar to the Eskies QB situation. While I'm all in favour of acquiring a young QB to add depth (if not promoting some healthy competition between the 2 young guys) GM Hervey still has NOT addressed the issue entirely. Yes Reilly has demonstrated he knows how to lead a CFL offence, I'm not disputing that at all. My biggest concern is that he will be thrust into a starting role having started AND completed only three games in his short career.

Secondly, Matt Nichols has paid his dues to the Eskimos and deserves a fair look when camp opens. Strictly comparing game experience, starts and effectiveness, Nichols should be given every opportunity to lead the offence this year. Unless the Eskimos still have questions about him (which K.Reed had shown through last season pulling him on more than one occassion) OR they aren't confident the ankle injury is completely healed, something is just not sitting right about them acquiring Reilly.

Lastly, like most fans I wasn't convinced Jyles could be THE GUY to lead the offence. That being said, I was willing to overlook the weaknesses if the Eskimos had used him in the correct way. (Jyles was in an offence designed to support a traditional drop back QB, with the option to run if need be. Jyles was most effective in his career when the offence had him rolling out of the pocket.) The Eskimos did a horrible job of helping him succeed, regardless of his flaws. They showed glimpses of the same intolerance with Nichols from time to time. And while comparing Nichols to Jyles is like comparing a fire engine to a waterfall, Reed was emphatic about the QB's "conforming" or they would sit. When Joseph came in, the only thing that saved him from carrying the clipboard was his experience with the various situations. In that case, the Esks were a "tad" more flexible with Joseph.

I'm concerned that the Eskimos have not taken the time to ACTUALLY address the issues at QB and are actually thinking of a Qb rotation throughout the season. As I mentioned earlier, something doesn't seem right when the Esks have almost identical players competing for the same starting position. (The Stampeders weren't entirely confident with their QB situation heading into last season either so they just decided to run the hell out of the ball all year long. The Eskimos can't afford to do that with their backfield this season but that's a discussion for another time.....)

I've been stewing over the Eskimos QB situation since they traded for Reilly and here's why.

First off, getting Reilly is much like slabbering lipstick on a pig hoping it will win the state fare this year. It's still a pig but looks a little better. This is very similar to the Eskies QB situation. While I'm all in favour of acquiring a young QB to add depth (if not promoting some healthy competition between the 2 young guys) GM Hervey still has NOT addressed the issue entirely. Yes Reilly has demonstrated he knows how to lead a CFL offence, I'm not disputing that at all. My biggest concern is that he will be thrust into a starting role having started AND completed only three games in his short career.

Secondly, Matt Nichols has paid his dues to the Eskimos and deserves a fair look when camp opens. Strictly comparing game experience, starts and effectiveness, Nichols should be given every opportunity to lead the offence this year. Unless the Eskimos still have questions about him (which K.Reed had shown through last season pulling him on more than one occassion) OR they aren't confident the ankle injury is completely healed, something is just not sitting right about them acquiring Reilly.

Lastly, like most fans I wasn't convinced Jyles could be THE GUY to lead the offence. That being said, I was willing to overlook the weaknesses if the Eskimos had used him in the correct way. (Jyles was in an offence designed to support a traditional drop back QB, with the option to run if need be. Jyles was most effective in his career when the offence had him rolling out of the pocket.) The Eskimos did a horrible job of helping him succeed, regardless of his flaws. They showed glimpses of the same intolerance with Nichols from time to time. And while comparing Nichols to Jyles is like comparing a fire engine to a waterfall, Reed was emphatic about the QB's "conforming" or they would sit. When Joseph came in, the only thing that saved him from carrying the clipboard was his experience with the various situations. In that case, the Esks were a "tad" more flexible with Joseph.

I'm concerned that the Eskimos have not taken the time to ACTUALLY address the issues at QB and are actually thinking of a Qb rotation throughout the season. As I mentioned earlier, something doesn't seem right when the Esks have almost identical players competing for the same starting position. (The Stampeders weren't entirely confident with their QB situation heading into last season either so they just decided to run the hell out of the ball all year long. The Eskimos can't afford to do that with their backfield this season but that's a discussion for another time.....)

Lastly, like most fans I wasn't convinced Jyles could be THE GUY to lead the offence. That being said, I was willing to overlook the weaknesses if the Eskimos had used him in the correct way. (Jyles was in an offence designed to support a traditional drop back QB, with the option to run if need be. Jyles was most effective in his career when the offence had him rolling out of the pocket.) The Eskimos did a horrible job of helping him succeed, regardless of his flaws.

I will agree that the offense was not the best offense to succeed in. Jyles definitely had more success when he showed mobility. The issue (at least from my perspective) was that Jyles was only effective when it "wasn't on the line". I believe his history as a starter (and I think Bomber fans will back me up) proved that he couldn't win the important games. That alone is enough to move onto the next guy in line.

while I agree that our QB situation is unsettled, I'm not exactly sure what Hervey was supposed to do about that, he wasn't the one who traded RR. I feel he has went and got us the best chance for success in 2013 by signing Reilly to compete with Nichols, its not like there are a bunch or Rays or Cavillos sitting out there to be had, the key is to find the "next one" not some retred like we tried last year.

while I agree that our QB situation is unsettled, I'm not exactly sure what Hervey was supposed to do about that, he wasn't the one who traded RR. I feel he has went and got us the best chance for success in 2013 by signing Reilly to compete with Nichols, its not like there are a bunch or Rays or Cavillos sitting out there to be had, the key is to find the "next one" not some retred like we tried last year.

Yes, exactly. While Reilly may or may not be the answer, you can't say Hervey didn't try everything possible to improve that position. I'm not sure what more he was supposed to do.

Reminds me of 1984. We had some young, inexperienced QBs coming in to compete and the eventual starter sure didn't have much CFL playing experience, not when Warren Moon was starting the previous year. Dunigan seemed to do ok tho. Will we have another blue chipper like that this year? At least there is the potential, unlike last year....

vBulletin Message

Contribute to esksfans

If you'd like to support the site, follow the link below to make a small contribution to the esksfans cause. All funds received will be used to keep the site alive and ad free. Thank you for your support.

If you would like to contribute without using Paypal, pm Angelus for contact info. You may also pay by Interac e-Transfer to owner@esksfans.com.